Toyota Group 7 Can Am

[Barc 1]

Today's project was a Group 7 Can Am car from 1968

A nice wide wide car meant I could fit a Mineabea 20 mm motor in a sidewinder configuration and not lose any of the interior space. Was also able to keep all of the detail parts except for the engine block and transmission.

I used the stock wheels upsizing the axle to 2 mm, with my own cast urethane tires

Guide rotates but the brushes are fixed, and it works fine.

[War Eagle River]

Wow! Years ago I saw a 1/32 model kit of this car...still kicking myself for not grabbing it. Have not seen one since...very rare.

[chappyman66]

I totally agree.....a wonderful conversion to make a car that you can't get any other way. I keep hoping I will find a file to print one.
Both Toyota and Nissan made a series of Group 7 cars that are actually pretty cool......this is the early one and it's very rare.

[Brumos RSR]

Dan that would be a great 1/32 Can Am car for 2021!!!! Love it

[Barc 1]

Well I am running out of project cars. maybe time to bring out a wooden block and do some whittling!!!

I added the driver and profiled the rear tires.

[pfuetze]

Dan, that´s an awesome car!
Looks really great!

where did you find the diecast? did you find the diecast under "toyota group7" ?

i would try to lower the front a little and rise the rear end. driver figure maybe a little lower, too.

Running out of project? can´t say that around here! cabinett is full of projects, but HDL (honey do list) is huge, too! new room for the teenager, getting rid of stuff that collected in the basement for 20 years ...
who needs a 1/43 wood track (5x8 ft, flat)? could not get rid of it for 10 years ...

[Barc 1]

you can find them on ebay. They really went up in price though. I bought this years ago for about $40

[walker]

There are some more of these Toyotas, all a bit different.

You should have made a mould of it...

BTW .: Your driver´s head looks a bit big IMHO.



Roland

[Barc 1]

Hi Roland. Agree on the drivers head. Too big for 143 but too small for 132. I think this head is a resin copy of the heads that. came with the monogram vintage 132 kits.

re Molds

I used to make molds of these diecasts, but don’t bother any more. I only ever plan on having one Toyota group 7 car, and all the extra expense and time to make a mold just isn’t worth it to me.

The cars themselves are turning out to be good runners as slots so the “ need”. to make a resin copy has disappeared for me.

[walker]

What a pity....

I still copy the cars I want and resell the originals. If they are kits - no problem at all. Diecasts take a bit more work to disassemble and reassemble everything carefully. And I don´t resell them as "unused".

Here in the GO! forum we have a nice tradition. We organise collective orders of any favourite cars and there are people who cast them.

BTW - there always is the possibility of asking.

If you need some drivers heads, send me a pn. I have drivers from different eras and so I van make heads separately as well.

[War Eagle River]

Dan that would be a great 1/32 Can Am car for 2021!!!! Love it

Good luck finding one! If you do, better let me know stat! I’ll want numerous copies!

[Barc 1]

Thanks for the offer Roland. I actually have a good supply of driver heads from 124 to 143 scale and some in between it would seem. I just added a new head to this group 7 car.

Re casting

Currently I am without any molding supplies and that is one reason I am not casting. However I have made many molds over the years, and find most times, I only make one car. Not much interest in NA in this scale However this Toyota group 7 car is nice so perhaps it is worth making a few more.

[pfuetze]

Dan, no the looks are simply awesome!
Fits perfectly!
Very nice!

[walker]

Now it looks almost perfect. As Peter already wrote, the front should be lowered a bit yet. Then there woudn´t be anything to criticize anymore.

It is really an excellent car. Just like most of these eras it has its own character. I have found one for 40 Euros - I will buy it. It perfectly fits my concept, since I love and collect CanAm
in 43rd scale.

In general you are right, Dan. Most cars one copies for oneself. The public interest is very low. Just as the whole 43rd scale scene more or less stagnates. And scratchbuilding is not "in".
People today prefer to buy RTR cars or at least finished bodyshells. The pride of doing something thermselves is almost zero, compared to the pride to have spent piles of money for something readily built.

Last December I had done an experiment: I built a 43rd scale slotcar. Real scale. A Cheetah. With a good motor and of course a good chassis, as usual form PCB.
I put it on EBAY and two other sales platforms
You can´t magine what people ar ready to pay.

I think this is a generation gap. People like we will become fewer and fewer , we are an endangered species.


Roland

[Barc 1]

Thanks Peter

Roland

Does this mean you got a good price for your Cheetah?

As you are aware, 1/43 scale. no mag cars can be made to run really well and are just as drivable as their bigger brothers. However hobbies in general are in decline as the new generations has no interest and therefore has gained zero skills in building miniatures.

I find it sad that a whole generation seems absorbed by their phone and has little time for anything else any more. Even in the workplace, coffee time is now spent with one in isolation texting on their phone.. It is not unusual at all to see a coffee room full of people have little to no interaction with those around them. Everyone staring into their phone searching for something.

I joined the go! forum to try keep pace with what you guys in Europe are up to

143 diecast is a huge market and their is no shortage of subject matter. The new higher efficient motors seem to have the torque to power these diecast fairly well. Also I think the diecast technology has improved where the weight on these cars has come down a lot.

I think the tiny Vintage F1 models actually need to be made from metal to give the car the weight required to run well with no magnets. The last couple I have done run well and are stable, and will flat spin out before they roll.,

In general the diecast conversions are running 10% slower then the resin bodied cars

I now have enough diecast conversions to have a die class to run together and the racing is competitive